The kids are coming! Saudi summer festivals attract the littles

“Kids make up the highest percentage of festival-goers,” said the official for Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).

Children’s participation in the ongoing summer festival is the key element to their huge success across the Kingdom, said a top official of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)[2]. “Kids make up the highest percentage of festival-goers,” the official said recently. “Many organizers of these events are aware of this fact as they have exerted efforts to arrange special activities and presentations for children’s entertainment, hoping to draw a larger turnout of families at these festivals,” he said. The Gardens festival organized by the Royal Commission in Jubail has incorporated several activities for kids to attract a wider audience. The 10-day festival has several activities including recreational and educational contests, cartoon characters, a festival mascot called “Muzher”, a clown show titled “The Seven Dwarfs” and a circus superstar show. Youth teams specialized in hosting games for children, have added value to these events in the summer festivals, exceeding 100 events in various regions across the Kingdom, the official said. He said that the children’s take more interest in traditional events, where they wear traditional clothes and play popular games. This year some festivals are also keen to organize music concerts for kids by artists from inside and outside the Kingdom. “Boys and girls wearing traditional dresses and touring the festival sites make the event more colorful,” he added.